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Jungfrau Zeitung – The money was rather put on the high edge …

Meiringen | January 24, 2021

Despite the corona crisis, the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz was able to increase its key balance sheet figures and is thus above the expectations of the bank management. The local bank increased its balance sheet total by almost 34 million francs. Because of the small margins, the result was only a rather “small profit” of around CHF 600,000.

Hermann Marti, Chairman of the Bank Management Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz, in front of the office in Meiringen.Bruno Stüdle Photos

Around 60 people from business, politics and society enjoyed the traditional New Year’s aperitif at the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz in Meiringen on one of the early days of January. Due to the pandemic, this year there was nothing with Cüpli and Häppli, bank figures and speeches about the international, national and above all local economic situation. For this there was a tête-à-tête with espresso, water, croissants and fruit between bank manager Hermann Marti and the Jungfrau Zeitung journalist.

Total assets increased by 6.27 percent

Despite Corona: The growth of the bank was “above expectations” last year, says the masked Marti happily. He proudly presented the balance sheet total of the past year. At 572.9 million francs, it was exactly 6.27 percent up on 2019 – or in francs: 33.8 million. Marti admits that that is rather surprising. In the past few years, the bank has generally seen growth of between CHF 10 million and CHF 15 million.

The most important figures from the 2020 annual results of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.

The most important figures from the 2020 annual results of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.Table: zvg

On the one hand, the bank manager locates the reasons for the “very high level of liquidity” – i.e. the savings rate – of the customers. Customer funds have also risen by almost 30 million to around 461 million francs. «Customers have put their money on the high edge instead of investing in the supposedly uncertain markets. On the other hand, they hardly spent any money during the lockdown – they went out less, took cheaper vacations and for a long time shopping was not in fashion either, ”analyzes the chairman of the bank management.

Emergency aid for 58 SMEs

The bank “wants to invest the money in the local economy,” says Marti. And that is why there is also growth in loans; these rose by 12.4 (+ 2.62 percent) to around 484 million francs. On the one hand, driven by the Covid loans – the federal emergency program was able to support 58 SMEs with immediate aid. On the other hand, CHF 8.6 million of this relates to the increase in mortgages granted.

The headquarters of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz in Meiringen.

The headquarters of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz in Meiringen.Foto: Nora Devenish

The bank was also able to increase the deposit volume, by 5.4 (+16.88 percent) to 37 million francs. “After the dips on the stock markets in the first half of the year, customers fortunately regained confidence in the recovering stock markets in the second half of the year,” says Hermann Marti happily.

Success despite margin pressure

“As a classic universal bank, we are primarily active in the capital brokerage business. That means we collect the money from savers and lend it to those looking for loans, ”Marti says. That is why the numbers on the earnings side are crucial – and they are “stable despite the changed risk situation.” The gross profit interest business, for example, posted a loss of around 50,000 francs (-0.84 percent) to 5.6 million francs.

The earnings situation from the 2020 annual result of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.

The earnings situation from the 2020 annual result of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.Table: zvg

“This shows that we earned less despite the volume growth and illustrates the pressure on margins that we are subject to due to the negative interest rate,” explains the bank manager. But he can look forward to the success of the commission and service business: it grew by 142,000 (+30.5 percent) to 607,000 francs. Bank manager Marti is “satisfied” with the resulting annual profit of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz, although at around 591,000 francs it is slightly below the peak year 2019 – to be precise by 9,000 francs (-1.55 percent).

The bank was able to increase its own funds by CHF 2 million to CHF 48.4 million. With a capital ratio of 20.69 percent (previous year 20.34), the bank has a “comfortable equity situation”. Marti concludes on the course of business in 2020 that this is “eminently important”, especially in economically uncertain times. “The more substance a bank has, the more crisis-resistant it is.”

Change in bank management

The bank is now only “cautiously optimistic” about the outlook for the local economy. Hermann Marti suspects that the corona measures taken by the authorities are likely to be drastic, especially for the tourism and catering industry. “But we want to continue to uphold local commitment despite the difficult circumstances – one for all, all for one,” promises Marti.

Bank manager Hermann Marti with Hansjürg Egger, who will retire at the end of 2021, and his successor Remo Baumgartner (from left to right).

Bank manager Hermann Marti with Hansjürg Egger, who will retire at the end of 2021, and his successor Remo Baumgartner (from left to right).

The future is already in place within the bank: Hansjürg Egger will take his well-earned retirement at the end of 2021. He worked for the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz for 27 years. “As a deputy bank manager and most recently as a member of the bank management, he played a key role in shaping the bank’s development,” praised his boss. The successor is 34-year-old Remo Baumgartner from Unterseen. The trained businessman, specializing in notary, is completing his EMBA in Controlling & Consulting this year and has been working for Raiffeisen for 13 years. He has been a manager at Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz since 2016 and “knows the market and customers very well,” promises Marti.

Read next week in the Jungfrau Zeitung’s big interview with bank manager Hermann Marti more about the prospects for the financial markets and the local economy.

Facts and figures Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz

Raiffeisen Group consists of 226 autonomous Raiffeisen cooperatives, the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz is one of them. With three branches in Brienz, Meiringen and Innertkirchen, it looks after the economic area between Oberried on Lake Brienz to the Brünig, Susten and Grimsel passes.

The area of ​​activity of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.

The area of ​​activity of the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz.Graphics: zvg

The bank had around 10,000 customers at the end of 2020. Exactly 5813 of them are cooperative members, that is gross 215 and net 50 more than in the previous year. You will be looked after with 27 jobs – seven of which are part-time. The bank trains three teachers – one per year.

In 2020, the Raiffeisenbank Region Haslital-Brienz invested 45,000 francs in training and education, 70,000 francs it gave in the form of sponsorships, donations and the general assembly fund, and it paid around 220,000 francs in direct taxes.

General meeting canceled for the second time

Because of the pandemic, the otherwise well-attended General Meeting has to be replaced for the second time with a written vote, “regrets bank manager Hermann Marti. The members of the cooperative will receive the documents at the beginning of April 2021.

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